Imagine: A pedestrian mall down the middle of the eight-lane Granville Bridge?

Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun06.21.2012

It may never come to pass, but an artist’s concept of a wide tree-lined pedestrian mall down the middle of the eight-lane Granville Bridge has become the signature idea for how Vancouver wants to modernize its transportation system.'
/ Handout

Granville Bridge as it is today. If Vancouver is to achieve its goal of converting two-thirds of trips to cycling, walking and public transit, it needs to show the public how that might look, Jerry Dobrovolny, the city’s director of transportation said Thursday. There’s nothing more graphic than the idea of a pedestrian mall in the middle of a bridge once heavy with truck traffic, he said.'
/ Handout

It may never come to pass, but an artist’s concept of a wide tree-lined pedestrian mall down the middle of the eight-lane Granville Bridge has become the signature idea for how Vancouver wants to modernize its transportation system.

The pastel drawing was commissioned by the city’s transportation department to help the public visualize high-level concepts being considered in the draft Transportation 2040 plan.

If Vancouver is to achieve its goal of converting two-thirds of trips to cycling, walking and public transit, it needs to show the public how that might look, Jerry Dobrovolny, the city’s director of transportation said Thursday. There’s nothing more graphic than the idea of a pedestrian mall in the middle of a bridge once heavy with truck traffic, he said.

“It is absolutely an idea and it is something that we certainly could investigate and look at further,” he said. “Right now it is not a proposal going to council for construction. It is a concept. The idea was to get some sample ideas out there so people can see what they mean.”

To be sure, there is a possibility that a future council will consider creating the broad mall on the bridge, as well as on the newer Cambie Bridge. The idea, Dobrovolny said, was to take the bridges and make them accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

“One of the suggestions came up around the Granville Bridge was “do you really need an eight-lane bridge?” Well, the answer is absolutely not. We probably don’t even need six lanes. The only way to use the eight lanes is to connect a freeway at either end and that is not going to happen.”

This isn’t the first time some radical ideas have been developed for the bridge. In 2002 the city did a study looking at slinging pedestrian walkways and a bike lane under the bridge girders but abandoned that idea because of the high cost, Dobrovolny said.

There are also other ambitious ideas for making the city friendlier for pedestrians and cyclists included in the 2040 plan, including widening the sidewalks on some of Vancouver’s most pedestrian-congested streets such as Robson Street, Broadway, Georgia and Howe. An idea exercised during the 2010 Winter Olympics to close Robson Street at Robson Square may also come to pass.

Nothing reasonable is off the table, said Dobrovolny, whose department has been tasked by the current Vision Vancouver council with moving ahead with “quick hit projects” such as traffic-calming Point Grey Road for bicyclists.

The city’s Transportation 2040 report encompasses more than 180 concepts aimed at improving people and goods movement in Vancouver over the next 25 years. From pedestrian “scramble” intersections to rerouting heavy truck traffic away from residential neighbourhoods to more bike lanes and pedestrian-only malls, the plan looks to reduce reliance on automotive traffic.

But the alacrity with which the city is pushing ahead with these kinds of transformational ideas is starting to worry some people.

“I think they are all great proposals that merit dialogue, but there can never be enough time in a day to spend reviewing them,” said Charles Gauthier, the executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement Association.

“That’s where I have concern. We’re being asked to comment on 187 recommendations in literally less than three weeks and I just think that is a very abbreviated time. I just wonder what’s the hurry. If these are really such great proposals, then we really need to engage the public and stakeholders and have a real dialogue about the merits and the possible downsides.”

The city is holding a few more public information sessions between now and July 13, when the deadline for public consultation is over. The report, with public input, will go back to council in the fall.

jefflee@vancouversun.com

Twitter.com/sunciviclee

Blog: www.vancouversun.com/jefflee

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Share

Imagine: A pedestrian mall down the middle of the eight-lane Granville Bridge?

Video

Today's News

Best of Postmedia

'People suffer out here and they keep going and that never gets easier to watch,' says nurse Margaux Pontoreau-Bazinet, who decamps to where she's needed most on the streets, operating out of a knapsack stuffed with medical equipment

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.